What If: The XMen Saga
by wolverinacullen
Summary: What would've  happened if the Buckley Twins  *OCs*  had been present in the X-Men Saga? *Better than Summary, promise*
1. XMen Origins

**What If: The X-Men Saga**

Lottie and Nikki Buckley were as close as feral twin sisters could be. Born only a few years before the American Civil War, in England, their father had been a kind Irishman-the root of Nikki's lovely crimson hair. She wasn't a ginger like many Irish, but she had thick, silky, wavy crimson hair, the color of freshly spilled blood. Along with that, a wicked indigo streak began at the roots at the front of her hair on the left side of her face, and gently trailed all the way down around her heart shaped face. Lottie's mutation caused her to look much more exotic, as her sister put it, with thick, fluffy white hair that had the faintest of blues in her leopard spots upon it. Her skin had faint, gray leopard spots as well, except for her face and palms. Her eyes, unlike her sister's, were violet, Nikki's were an eerie, silver laced emerald green. But both twins had catlike eyes and claws extending from the beds of their fingernails, and both had become highly protective of the other.

Their father had died when they were seven, allowing their mother to marry another man who made their lives hell. When he tried to inappropriately touch her sister, Nikki calmly and kindly reminded him what it was a gentleman did; while he was dying on a second set of claws that had burst from the back of her hand. The girls had become fed up with their lives, and took off, living nomadically, but by no means ferally. It was not long after Kayla's death, that Logan encountered them, in the barracks of Weapon X.

He was running, gunshots at his back, dead guards at his feet, reacting on instinct. The place was in a turmoil, and unknown to him, his freedom had given the twins the temporary distraction needed to stage their escape. Nikki pulled her sister along and nearly collided with the strong, naked, mutant. She stepped back instinctively, looking at him in shock. He looked at her; her dirty appearance, the scraps of what must've once been a pretty dress, and her sister in a bloody dress shirt that looked as if it had been recently torn from a body. He slashed a hole in the metal and motioned them forward. She nodded and Lottie went through before she did; allowing the feral man at her back.

It was a sign of trust not usually allowed for a man.

The three leapt from the waterfall, the twins clinging to each other as if for dear life itself. Logan could hardly keep pace with them as they tore through the forest, both scenting, both running. They peeked out and raced across the fields and into a barn. He glanced, seeing not a soul in sight, and followed.

He slowed as he reached the door, hearing voices.

"Oh Lottie, you look a sight!" one soft, melodic voice cooed, "Imagine!"

He looked at the girls as he eased the door shut; both were laughing, more at ease than he'd ever seen a pair of girls be.

"Who are you?"

The one that looked more feline smiled at him, openly, "Lottie Buckley. This is my sister, Nikki. And you, mister naked and serious man?"

Nikki smiled, showing a bit of her sharp, pearly teeth, "He's good looking, who minds either?"

Lottie shoved her, blushing, but it didn't waver her hungry gaze. She slid toward him, as if stalking her prey and ran her hands over his slicked body, "Can those claws cut through anything sugar?"

"Depends" he said, trying not to focus on her.

"How about we get in a shower and blow this joint before the owners arrive?"

The latter sounded like a good idea, while the former he had a hard time not imagining. He simply nodded and allowed the girls to pass between the buildings, hearing Lottie quietly chiding her sister as they walked. They reminded him of Victor and himself, though clearly closer.

One of them had picked the lock, clearly not needing his help. He sniffed the air and heard the shower running. He found Nikki raiding the kitchen, not taking much of anything she took; half a loaf of bread, some fruit wrapped in a towel for a bundle, and two cans of soup. She jumped as she caught his scent, looking at him, "I hope you're not going to advise me against this."

"I am" he said, "It's one thing to get some extra clothes, it's something else to take something these people need."

She left her bundle on the table and moved past him, going up the stairs. She grabbed a trunk and pulled out two shirts, two pairs of pants, and he glanced away as she raided around for the rest.

"Take what _you_ need, we're covered" she said, brushing by him on the way out.

He did-a simple shirt and jeans. He saw her disappear into the bathroom to change places with her sister, then, the inevitable.

He heard a car.

He dressed and made his way outside, hoping to act as peacemaker between his reluctant partners and the owners of the house.

By the time the girls emerged from the bathroom, Travis and Heather Hudson had given him and the girls permission to stay for the night, and they surprisingly seemed undisturbed by the girls' lack of patience.

It was late at night when Logan felt the warm body in bed next to him. He instinctively wrapped his arms around it, feeling soft, feminine curves under his hands. He turned to wrap himself around her like a blanket, murmuring "Kayla" against her throat.

The hushed moan he was met with wasn't Kayla's, nor the scent. He heard a breathless chuckle, "Sorry to disappoint."

He cracked open his eyes, met with the beautiful redhead. He started to move away when she grasped his hands and rested them back in their places, wrapped tightly around her. Her cheeks flamed pink under the moonlight as she whispered, "I liked that."

He was surprised by her sudden vulnerability, the pain that showed at the very thought of intimacy. He lowered his head onto the pillow next to her, "Where's your sister?"

"In the rafters, up there" she murmured, half asleep, "Lottie likes to be a cat sometimes."

He watched her as her smaller frame relaxed into his, and he pulled the blanket just a little tighter over her. She was wearing jeans, but the shirt she was wearing looked a little too thin to keep out the cool spring air. He swore to himself, he was only keeping her warm as his arms wrapped tightly around her, pressing her to his chest. He was very well aware she wasn't Kayla-yet he held her, still.

He heard a scream as he was jolted awake, and he was met with Nikki trying to hit her sister, "Jesus CHRIST Lottie! You're gonna give me a bloody heart attack!"

Her accent came back into her voice in her anger at her sister, who was hanging upside down from the rafter. Lottie jumped down, bouncing on the bed, "Well someone _had_ to wake the spooning couple. Did I sleep through you two making love, by some blessed miracle?"

Nikki's face turned bright red, "No. I climbed into bed and he held me, I didn't even have to ask."

"Well then, I think I like that approach to life."

A bullet smashed the window, making Nikki pull her sister down. Logan burst from the bed, throwing his jacket over the both of them, "Get up!"

Nikki scrambled out of bed, wrapping her sister in the jacket and pushing her toward the bike. He was well aware he couldn't take them both.

"Go!" she yelled at Lottie, "I'll be fine."

Logan grabbed her arm and forced her to climb on, despite the fact he wouldn't be able to maneuver very well with the both of them. Nikki held her sister against his back, clutching the other young female as if for dear life. He managed to outrace the helicopters, but knew very well that they'd be back.

He made for the first place he knew he'd find one of his old teammates; Vegas.

The two girls had left Logan and John in peace to talk, while they got introduced to Fred Dukes.

Nikki leaned over the ropes, "Well you're certainly Golden Glove material, sugar."

He looked at her, surprised that she was speaking to him, and equally surprised of the extent of her looks, "Thanks."

She slid into the ring, "Wanna give me a shot?"

"I don't hit girls" he said, his cheeks pinking.

She perched nearby on the opposite rope while her sister took her former place, "D'you know where we can find Victor Creed, sugar? He's a very bad man y'know. He's done some very bad things."

Dukes found himself struck with fear at her tone, "He'd be with Stryker."

"D'you know where, sugar?" she kept her legs crossed, her body in just the right position that her good cop routine would equally work as a seduction tactic.

He shook his head, "There was a prisoner...he could tell you. His name was Remy LeBeau, but the guards called him Gambit cause he kept taking all their money at poker."

She slid off the ropes and trailed a claw gently across his jaw, "Thank you sugar."

Before Logan and John could reach them, the twins met them, "Gambit. I'm assuming by the name, we need to hit New Orleans." Logan couldn't help but admire the way she said New Orleans, it came out sounding like _n'orlans._ He found himself nodding as the girls passed.

"I'm comin with you Logan" John said, "And not just because you're staring at them like you've just seen the light."

"There's no redemption where I'm going."

"I ain't asking."

John was gone, and so was Lottie. Nikki was raving angry; they'd never been separated before. Her hatred for Victor was growing with each passing moment as she climbed on John's bike, hellbent on pursuing Victor and her sister.

"Hey, hold on" Logan said, pulling her hand off the clutch.

She glared at him, "That son of a bitch has my sister! I am _not_ going to calm down!"

He pulled her off the bike, to her screaming protest, and sat her down on his. She glared at him, being met with a glance of his own, "We're getting her back."

"We will, or I'll castrate your brother in front of you."

He let her crush her in his grip. He sensed everything she felt; fury, fear, and depression. He knew she was doubting everything, he knew she was worried about her sister.

"I wouldn't blame you."

Victor had never felt such passion in a fight like he felt fighting Lottie Buckley. She thrashed and kicked and threw him into the wall of the military grade truck. She made for his throat, only to be parried. He looked into her violent violet eyes, overcome with melting fury. He wanted her, and it was a desire more raw than anything he'd ever felt. He dropped his clawed hand, and he let her win.

She reacted instantly, backing away in fear. He dropped onto the seat and looked at her. It was the wrong move, as she stayed cowering. She began to cry; he knew why. He watched her weep for her life, for her sister. She didn't want to return to the experiments. So he stood, and he punched the locked door hard enough to send it flying open. He looked at her, "Go."

With that simple word, she leapt out while they still moved, and disappeared into the streets. He stood, looking out after her, and not feeling the craving for a hunt.

At first, he wanted to be reunited with Kayla, but when he burst in with her to find Kayla rather than Lottie, and Victor's explanation that he'd simply let her go, not only was Stryker shocked, but it seemed Nikki was as well. Still, Lottie had trailed Victor and as the twins embraced-a little too desperately-Logan looked to Kayla.

The feelings simply weren't there. Yes, he felt something, but it wasn't love. He watched as the twins bolted for the door, and as Nikki glanced over her shoulder before she left.

He didn't remember her when he saw her next, or Lottie. Her arms had flung around him, her smile was so familiar that he'd _known_, he knew she was important. In that bar in Japan, he sat her down, and he listened to her tell him about when they'd met; about when he'd helped her find Lottie.

For some reason, he was hanging on her every word.


	2. XMen First Class

They were an odd group, that much was a given, but in the year since the Island, they were all joined at the hip. They were sitting in a bar, when _it_ happened.

Two gentlemen, appearing in their mid thirties, entered the bar and beelined for the trio. They stood near Logan while one spoke, "I'm Erik Lensherr, this is Charles Xavier-"

Logan was about to say something rather rude, his cigar smoke billowing as he raised the whiskey glass to his mouth, when Lottie cut in, "Charles Xavier from Oxford?"

He met her eyes and looked as if he would faint. He'd never seen a mutant publicly flaunting her looks, especially not looks like hers.

Nikki smiled, "Recruiting, Charlie?"

Logan glanced between them, "What're you two talking about?"

"He's been the one to present the theory on genetic mutation. Like ours, anyway" Lottie said, "and Nikki's assuming he's gathering us en masse."

"Right on the money, sis."

"Yes, we are" Charles said, "We were hoping you would join us."

The twins looked at each other, then Nikki looked to Logan, "We're alright with it if you are."

"We're not going anywhere without you."

He sighed and nodded, "Fine. Let's go."

It was more of a way to cure boredom; no one planned on staying long, especially when the government got involved.

"Division X" Logan snorted, looking at the group of youngsters in the room, "More like the circus sideshow."

"Aw c'mon Mister Logan, what would you rather we do?" Alex Summers said.

"I'd rather not be around government" Logan said gruffly.

Lottie gazed out the window at the sparkling water a ways away. Nikki stood by her, "It would be nice to go out and have some fun."

"We can have fun here" Raven said, standing. She turned on the radio and was instantly met by Nikki's hand to turn it off, "Please Raven, I'd rather not."

Hank looked at her, studying her, "You two are twins, huh?"

Lottie looked back, "Most people can't tell."

"Well you two have the same facial structure. Body type. The claws are a dead giveaway."

They both looked toward him and they both smiled at almost the same time, "Well, finally. A smart one."

"What do you do, Mister Logan?" Darwin asked.

Logan popped his claws and looked at Nikki, "A lotta things."

She had the grace to blush, and so did Raven and Lottie. Darwin whistled.

"I didn't mean it like that" Logan said.

Lottie smiled, teasingly, "Well, I'd love to say you didn't, but I've heard you two. You have."

Alex's eyes widened as well as Nikki's. "Lottie-" she growled, a warning.

Lottie side-flipped over the chair and perched on the table, throwing her hair and playfully moaning, "Oh Logan, yes! You animal!"

Nikki jumped over the couch and chased her sister around the room, her laughter, shrieks and the occasional playful shouts of teasing directed toward her sister. Logan laughed.

A loud sound broke their playful concentration, "What was that?"

Nikki's words went unnoticed as a man dropped from the sky and flattened on the ground outside the window, the blood splashing onto the glass. Lottie screamed, as did Nikki when she saw. They scrambled back, and suddenly, bodies were dropping from the sky. Men were rushing out, and as they all gathered against the wall, they saw them. A man that looked like the devil himself was teleporting, killing men, while one created tornadoes from his hands. The windows burst, and Nikki screamed, "LOGAN!"

Panicked, he shoved her behind his body. Lottie was pressed against the wall, clutching her sister as her sister clutched her lover. Nikki looked at Logan, pure terror in her eyes, and sensing her fear, he gripped her tightly; their hands locked so tightly not even the jaws of life could pry them apart.

The two men entered from the blasted-out windows as a third entered from the door, "Where's the telepath?"

"Not here" Alex spoke.

"Alright, well...I have an offer for you, brothers and sisters. What would you all like, if you could live like kings?"

"We were living just fine before" Logan said.

"You could live so much better than that, my friend. Free from persecution. The way they look at us, it's like they know, isn't it?"

The words spoke to Angel, but not to Logan or the feral twins. Nikki's eyes narrowed, "Take a few steps back little man, before I kick you so hard _they_ get lodged in your nostrils."

Logan snorted as either twin stood on either of his side, both prepared for a fight they were sure would come.

Shaw took a step back, holding up his hands, "I'm not here to fight my own. But technically, if you're not with us, you're against us."

Angel stepped forward and went with them. After a moment, Darwin joined them. Things happened quickly after that; they jumped back and Alex blasted. The blast was redirected-and it killed Darwin. They had teleported away, but Nikki had seen enough. She stared at the spot the boy had just disintegrated in, and she began to cry. She sunk into a chair and cried, as if her tears would bring the boy back. Lottie ran to her sister, and Raven stood back a bit, wanting to comfort the more human looking feral, but not knowing how.

"Nikki, calm down-"

"Calm down! I just watched him die, and you're telling me to _calm down?_" She wept with sorrow, clutching her sister. Logan's hand rested on her back, gently pulling her to her feet. She leaned into him, sobbing, "I can't watch kids die. I'm sorry, but I can't do it."

He nodded and gently let her lead them away.

"Nikki-" Raven began.

She looked back, fresh tears on her face, "Raven...I'm sorry. I love you all, but I can't do this. I can't watch something happen to you. I'm sorry."

She ran over and embraced the younger girl before practically running away in sorrow, leaving her sister and lover to follow.

Two years had passed since she'd run away from that. She heard the X-Men were doing fine, and all but Raven still were a part of them. Raven had gone with Erik when he'd left them.

"Division X was a horrid name anyway" Lottie reassured her. They sat on the beach, on the edge of the Spanish waters. The newspaper headlines reached out to her with a sad certainty.

Logan surfaced and looked at her, "You just gonna sit there on the beach all day beautiful?"

She glanced over to him and smiled. She glanced back to Lottie, who got to her feet, holding the newspaper, "Go. Have fun. I'm gonna grab a snack."

Nikki smiled and ran into the water, jumping on her mate's back. Three years they'd been together, and they were sure they were meant to be. He slipped her off his back and kissed her as warm waves crashed over them; a scene from one of the romance novels Lottie fancied so much.

She turned, and nearly screamed as she was met with the hulking frame behind her.

Victor Creed's hand covered her mouth for a moment before he let her go. His smile was easy, "Hey frail."

"Victor? What're you doing here? Y-Your brother's out there, and he won't be happy to see you."

"I know. I came to see you."

Her eyes widened, "Me? Why me?"

His clawed hands brushed her shoulder, cutting the strap of her bikini top, "Why d'you think?"

She gasped and wrapped her arms around herself, "Stop. I'll scream."

He looked at her, seriously, "I'm not here t' hurt you. Let me talk t' Jimmy."

"_Logan_ is outside. With his mate."

"You never wonder, do ya? Who's out there for you?"

His words shocked her into silence. She hesitated before she said, "I didn't."

"Until?"

"Now...are you trying to say you wanna be like them with me? Cause that's what it would entail Victor" she trembled as she realized she was giving him orders, "You'd need to kiss me in the waves like that. Risk your life for me. Be willing to die for me. Put the animal aside and love me, really, truly love me."

He stared at her for a long moment. He was silent. Then, he said, "D' you want me to go get flowers and candy and start over?"

Lottie smiled a wry smile and re-tied the strap midway, "No, but you're buying me a new swimsuit."

It was almost fifteen years since the Island. Nikki and Logan and Victor and Lottie both had a couple kids and were living in the house in Alberta, Canada, when the young intruder broke into the kitchen one night.

Lottie was going downstairs with her fussing baby boy, Conrad, on one shoulder and every intention of finding the boy a jar of food. She smelled the intruder before she saw her, not minding her son's presence. She was still sharp enough to take down a threat with one hand.

The figure was hunting in her refrigerator, the soft light not even illuminating her in her white pajamas. She grasped the intruder by the throat and threw her into a wall, flicking on the light at the same time.

The girl's eyes were wide, and the fall looked like it hurt, but she was more shocked to see the mutant in front of her.

"Lottie?" Victor thundered from upstairs.

Lottie removed a jar of baby food and called back, "Head on back to sleep Vic, I got this."

As if not hearing her, her sister came in, "What the hell are you...who in the hell is dumb enough to break in?" Nikki was amused, laughing out loud as she saw the young girl on the floor.

"Ah really wasn't trying to steal, Ah swear!" the intruder shouted, standing up and pressing herself into the corner, "Ah was just hungry!" The girl was clutching her bag like it would give her salvation.

Lottie was busy feeding her infant son, so Nikki grabbed a carton of ice cream out of the open door and shut it, then took a spoon out of the drawer and set it at an open place at the table, "Well then, come sit down, and we'll talk."


	3. XMen United

Nikki sat at the table with the young girl-who'd come to tell them her name was Rogue. The twins had exchanged a glance, as well as Nikki's young daughter joining them to sleep in her mother's arms, seated at the table.

"What're you running from?" Lottie asked, directly.

She looked at them, like a deer in the headlights. Conrad, once he was satisfied he was fed, drifted off against his mother's shoulder, much like Tayla was doing against Nikki's. Nikki rubbed her daughter's back, listening to her gentle pulse. For a moment, she didn't realize Rogue hadn't responded.

"Honey, we're not going to kick you out, we just want to know" Lottie said.

Nikki looked up from her daughter's peaceful face, at the young girl. She read her like an open book, "She's running from her powers, Lott. From her family, from her old life. She's just like us."

Nikki rose, her daughter unconsciously clinging to her neck as she was carried toward Lottie, "Need me to take Conrad?"

"I've got him, we'll go back to bed in a second" Lottie murmured, stroking the back of Tayla's hair, "Make sure she doesn't wake Vicky."

Nikki smiled, "We never do."

She took her daughter upstairs, returning her to her bed in the room she shared with Lottie's five year old daughter. The two year difference in the girls provided little difference; their room was a rich shade of green that had been since it was Vicky's nursery. Both girls had canopy beds, white in Vicky's case, silver in Tayla's, and they shared absolutely everything. They were closer than sisters, as close as their mothers. Nikki and Lottie changed places when Lottie went to place Conrad to sleep in the new nursery, in the cradle next to her other twin son, Slade.

"Listen honey, life ain't easy, I'm gonna give you that, but there's gotta be someplace you can go."

She finally fessed up, "These people are followin' me. I was back in Laughlin City, and still...they were followin'."

"Who?"

"A green lookin' guy, and a blue woman, but she could change her appearance...and there was this guy, he ripped the buckle off my metal off my belt from ten feet away" she said.

Nikki got up and grabbed the girl, murmuring to her, "Stay silent and come with me."

The girl nodded and followed as Nikki dragged her up the stairs, past the rooms and into the room with the moonlight streaming in. The pillows were messed, as were the sheets, and a half-hidden figure about twice, if not three times, their size was asleep.

"Tomcat" Nikki murmured, nudging him, "Hey, Tomcat. I need your expertise."

"Nikki, can it wait til morning?" the soft, but thundering voice purred.

"Tomcat, the girl's seen Raven" Nikki murmured, her hand softly resting on his shoulder. He opened his eyes, looking into hers. He sat up, sighing and looked at the girl that stood there, "When an' how far?"

"A couple hours ago...Laughlin City. I ran, and they didn't follow."

He sighed and threw the blankets aside, "I gotta call Blue."

Nikki looked at him, sighing, "You think he'll back down?"

"Probably not" Victor said, lumbering out toward the office and glanced back at her, "She can sleep here tonight, but I want her gone in the morning. Mags caused me enough trouble already."

Nikki nodded, ushering Rogue down the hall.

Rogue glanced back, "Who was that?"

"Victor, my brother in law" Nikki murmured. She opened the door to a room, "The bathroom's soundproofed, so you can wash up if you like. Just try to keep it quiet for the kids, alright?"

Rogue nodded and as she was left alone, sunk to the bed in exhaustion. She'd only just taken off her shoes when she fell asleep.

"I'm worried" Nikki murmured as her husband's warm arms wrapped around her. He was fresh out of bed, still sleep-warmed, his cheek pressing to hers as he held her close. His hand pressed to her stomach and he nuzzled her softly, "What about?"

She smiled, "We all of a sudden get this girl out of nowhere, a girl that's connected to Erik Lensherr, and I can't help but worry about it being worse than I can imagine."

"We can drop the girl off with Charles. She'll be fine there."

She nodded, silently scrambling the eggs for their breakfast. He chuckled huskily and kissed her cheek, "Calm down. You're gonna give the baby a heart attack."

She sighed in exasperation, "I've only just gotten pregnant, the baby will be fine. I swear, you conspired this with Tayla."

He smiled and nuzzled her, "She was getting tired of being the baby, and Vicky has two brothers."

"So help me Logan" Nikki said, grinning, "If this is your plan to keep me barefoot and pregnant, I'll kill you."

He laughed and went to get the coffee pot from where it bubbled further down the corner, "No, it's not. But we could go on a little vacation. Have Vic and Lottie stay here with the kids and go drop the girl off with Charlie."

She smiled, albeit a bit wryly, "If there's kids involved, Lottie won't want Victor around."

"True" the feral in question said as she walked over to her sister, scooting aside Logan for an early morning hug, "Take him with you, we'll be fine. Jesus Nikki, there's a perimeter three miles away. We're gonna be fine."

She laughed, softly kissing her sister's forehead, "Alright. If you're sure-?"

"I'm sure."

"I'm sure I'm staying here" Victor said as he walked in, "I'd rather endure being interrupted by the kids than be kept away by you two. Jesus, ya been married for years, you two still go at it like rabbits."

"Victor!" Lottie shouted, giggling.

Nikki gave Victor a sidelong glance, a knowing one, "And you and Lottie don't?"

"Well that's a whole different can of worms" he said with a laugh.

When the three climbed out of the truck outside Xavier's School for the Gifted, Rogue was sure this was the wrong place, but once they walked inside, it was chaos.

"Logan! Nikki!" a beautiful, white-haired woman said as she went over, hugging them both.

"Ororo!" Nikki shouted, dropping her duffel bag onto the floor and hugging her old friend, "How's it been since the last time we stopped in for a bit?"

"Good. Hectic, but good" Ororo said, embracing Logan before looking to the other female, "Oh look at you, you're absolutely glowing!" She bit her lip, "Can I ask?"

"Tayla _was_ an only child until about two weeks ago" Nikki smiled widely, "I'm thinking of either Alexander or Veronique."

The two hugged again, prompting looks from the students. As they bustled along, going to visit students she'd once had, Logan lifted his bag and looked to Rogue, "She'll be fine." His words shocked her out of her thoughts; she focused on him. "The Professor's office is this way."

"You used to live here?" she asked.

"Yeah, a while ago. All of us lived here. Tayla was born here, so was Vicky" Logan said, "There were a lotta things going south though, as far as battles with Erik went, so we got our own place and stayed out of the way. Our kids became more important than our work, even if it killed Nikki to leave these kids. She loves 'em."

"Ah can see" Rogue murmured. She followed him closely. Logan looked at her, pausing outside the door, "He's in the middle of class, so..."

She nodded. They heard joyful shouts and looked out the window. Nikki was embracing another redhead, one with short, auburn hair. Logan was watching intently.

"Who're they?"

It was his turn for his thoughts to be interrupted, "She's Jean Grey. She and Nikki have had a rocky history. Looks like they're alright, though."

A girl with giant hoop earrings burst through the door, "Mister Logan!"

"Jubilee" Logan said, smiling as he wrapped an arm around the girl, "Where's Charles?"

"Inside, he told me to come get you. You don't have to wait. Thank god, Newton couldn't get any less interesting."

"Two more years til college kid, keep that in mind."

He released her, letting her scurry back in to her seat as he lead Rogue in the room.

"Logan, a surprise as always" the professor said. Rogue's first impression of him was his warm, welcoming smile. Rogue hung back behind him. She caught the eye of one of the boys in the room. He smiled, and she smiled back.

"You're so beautiful" Logan purred to his mate as they settled into bed; she in his shirt and her cotton pajama pants, and he in his sweatpants. He pressed her against his chest, smiling as she settled in. He sighed, watching her settle in. She slept peacefully, and eventually shifted onto her back, nuzzling into her pillow. His stomach growled, prompting him to leave her as quietly as he could to slip downstairs for a midnight snack.

No sooner had Logan made it to the kitchen, than the figure reached the door. He stepped in and looked down at her. No memories came to his mind, but he knew. They wanted her dead, that was why he was there. He dropped to his knees, brushing his clawed hands across her face and gritting his teeth. Every nerve fiber in his body was urging him to simply _do it_; kill her and leave. Extract Weapon X and return to base.

But he smelled it, under her scent. Another. She was pregnant, and the scent was so much like his. A single tear trickled down his face as she woke to the feeling of his hand on her face. Her eyes widened, and she was about to speak when he heard the doors open with a whisper of air.

"Stay here" his voice was strong and soft, "I'll tell them you're dead. Just please...please stay here."

His nerves were singing with bloodlust, but he resisted. Stryker's poison could only work on his bloodlust, it couldn't control him. He could control himself just fine.

He eased the door shut and took the stairs two at a time.

Logan was pushing the panicking kids through the passage, out through the garage, out through the wall of the school. Rogue lingered, bringing kids along, as well as two boys; Iceman and Pyro. Gripped with panic at the thought of his wife being captured, he was just about to leave them to look for her when she rounded the corner. She looked pale. He went to her, grasping her arms, "Baby-"

"We have to stop them. We need to get him back, please-" she began to beg. He tried to reason with her, telling her to go. She pushed on his arms, forcing him away. Steps came closer, and while both silenced, she turned.

"Neither of you have aged a day" William Stryker said as he rounded a corner. He turned, signaling two guards that were dragging a rather heavy body forward. Nikki's hands flew over her mouth, tears prickling there corners of her eyes.

"I knew you'd be too weak to kill her, good-for-nothing mutant brat" Stryker hit the young man across the face. Nikki noticed the gunshots riddling his lean chest. He barely groaned as his amber eyes looked up to hers.

"Vincent" she gasped. She pulled free of Logan's grasp and did the one thing that he'd never expected; she rushed toward the boy.

He shouted her name in time for a wall of ice to separate them.


	4. The Last Stand

Nikki's arms wrapped around her son, clinging to him. The guards released him into her grip.

"I told you to stay put...why didn't you?" his pretty, gem-like eyes were full of sorrow.

"I can't let them do this to you...god I thought you were dead" she whispered, bringing him closer. His arms clung to her weakly, his heart pulsing with adrenaline. It was an emotion he was used to, but one he didn't want to endanger his mother and her child.

"Take them" Stryker gestured to the guards.

Nikki stood on her own, helping her son, "I'll go willingly if we can stay together."

Stryker beckoned them forward, "Be my guest."

They walked, side by side, the lean young man clinging to his mother as if he were ten years younger. She bit her lip, her tears falling as she held the boy she hadn't seen since he was a baby.

"I'm so sorry" she whispered to him as he limped down the stairs at her side.

"It's not your fault" he murmured, "You just said you thought I was dead. It's alright. I never blamed you, I won't start now."

His long, ash blond hair was free, streaked with his own blood in the front. He wasn't hugely muscled like his father, rather strong and lean with a lot of power in his muscles. He lead her into the convoy and sat down, easing the bullet wound in his joint.

"It'll be okay" she whispered, audible to no one but him, "Our friends are going to get us out of here."

"Our friends or yours?"

Logan, at Iceman's former home, was tortured. He sat on the couch, his eyes filled with worry. He couldn't believe she was gone, he just knew, instantly, he had to find them and get her back.

The problem was, he had no idea where to begin.

He didn't budge, even when Rogue came over and sat near him, shortly joined by Pyro-John-and Iceman-Bobby.

"We'll get her back" Rogue said softly as Bobby spoke to his parents and his brother.

"We need to. I've never seen her react like that before. Who was that kid?"

"Clearly important" John said, flipping his lighter open and shut, "She acted like my mother for a second there."

The pieces clicked in Logan's mind nearly instantly. The similarities to his brother that the boy had, the connection to Stryker, and the fact that Nikki had been there for a year before him.

He stood up, trying to get a signal on the comm link. The instant he could, he was on the line with Ororo, trying to persuade Jean to look for Nikki or the boy mentally.

That was all he could think about when they went to join the X-Men, or when they were in the air. The young man on the jet sensed his worry and teleported nearby, "What troubles you, my friend?"

He glanced to the blue man and sighed, "I'm worried. About my wife."

He nodded, slowly. He offered his hand to Logan for a prayer, which, oddly without reluctance, he accepted. She was all he could think about, through that, through the jet being hit by a missile. As the plane went down, all he could think of was getting to her; how fast would it take him to heal from this, how fast would he be able to get to a phone and call Victor and tell him to hunt down Stryker and that his son-the son neither of the brothers had known about-was alive, and with his mother, hopefully safely.

He was almost hellbent on rushing Magneto along. Jean had their location and they needed to get going, but he didn't. Since he was at the man's mercy, he stayed with the blue man-Kurt. Surprisingly, he had the feeling they were going to be friends.

Jubilee shook, wrapped in her blanket. Artie clung to her, frightened. Vincent held his mother, tightly, warming her with the gentle, steady friction of his palms on her bare arms. He trembled every so often, his cheek pressed against her head. After a long moment, he murmured, "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"How was I born? How were you and dad allowed to be together in there? When did you get married? How far along are you?"

She laughed quietly, shivering delicately in her son's warm embrace, "You're seventeen years old, to start off. You were born on March Twenty-Eighth...I mourned you every year on that day. Your father and I were never in love; he was one of Stryker's team, and I was an experement he fancied. He was too scared of my sister...too scared to touch her, which is ironic, because they're married now. I can't say the feelings were mutual, but I let him do as he pleased to ensure my survival. You were a happy accident, and I think you saved my life." She reached around his shoulders to stroke his hair softly, "I married his brother years after we escaped this place. Logan, my husband, my sister Lottie and I escaped together. Victor met us in Spain years later, and he and Lottie fell in love." She turned a light shade of pink, "Despite that, a few weeks ago...we were alone together, and it just _happened_, and hence the baby."

He nodded, silently, "Worse has happened."

"Worse has" she murmured and held onto him, "Worse really has."

As soon as Mystique was in, she located them, and Logan was off. Nothing else mattered; nothing but her. Of course, helping Charles came second, but liberating them was his top priority. Kurt and Logan were side-by-side as they tore through the compound, searching for the spot. Kurt grabbed him-and teleported.

"Logan!" she shouted, standing up. She went to him, gripping him tightly, and Vincent rising with her. For the first time, he noticed the young man's expression-and his clothing. Military grade undershirt and cargo pants, unarmed, and the most sincere expression of concern and heartache he'd ever seen. She grasped him, tightly, pulling him close, "Logan, this is my son Vincent, Vincent, Logan, I'll explain later."

They were the first teleport up, then Kurt went back for the kids. Nikki clutched her son's face, whispering to him gently. He wrapped his arms around her, embracing her tightly, then glanced to Logan, "I'm coming with you."

"Like hell. Get them out of here, meet me on the plane, both of you."

They glanced to each other and ran.

The team regrouped on the jet-all of them together. Minus Jean. Nikki held her son, tightly, on their way back. The moment they reached the mansion, they were embraced by Victor and Lottie-Victor less reluctantly than his wife.

Vincent looked at her, sensing a bond he'd never sensed before. He sensed her pain when she looked at Victor embracing his mother, he sensed the pain she felt, being away from her family.

"Who's with the kids?" Nikki asked.

"Kitty Pryde, the girl from here. She asked to, so we took her home and let her."

He watched her leave and raced to catch up with her, "Lottie, right?"

She looked at him and forced a smile, "Hi."

He pulled her aside, "Listen...I don't know why, but I feel like you're hurting. A lot. And I don't know much about...anything, but I want you to know, you're not alone. I'm around, if you should need a friend."

She nodded, slowly, "Welcome to the family, Vincent." Her hands squeezed his tenderly. "and neither are you."

He nodded and watched her depart into the mansion.

Months passed, and eventually, the family returned to the mansion. Vincent had skipped out on his training session; he didn't want to see Scott's expression as he turned the session over to Ororo for the umpteenth time.

"I heard you skipped again" Lottie said, sitting down next to him.

He glanced to her, "Clearly I don't need it."

His muscles had filled out from hours of weight training in the gym, eating all the food he could possibly want in the mansion's kitchen, that always seemed to be stocked. His sleeves were cut off his relatively new Harley Davidson shirt, his legs filled out his jeans for the first time in his life. He watched the world go by from his perch on the fountian. They sat together in silence for a long time.

"Did you really mean it when you said you'd be here, if I needed a friend?" he smelled tears and turned to her quickly, "Yeah, of course I did. Why wouldn't I? Did something happen?" He shifted to listen, an expression crossing his face she'd never seen on one of the males in the family.

She sniffed and wiped her eyes, "Nikki's baby is Victor's." She choked on a sob. "Logan's not going to leave her, but he and Victor got in a fight today in the gym. Victor...he never wanted kids, not when I first met him, but when he heard the baby was his, he lit up like a Christmas tree!"

He took her hand, looking at her. He released a breath and said, "You know that guy, Magneto? The one who's trying to start a war over the cure?"

She nodded, slowly. Everyone knew; they'd have to be blind and deaf not to.

"I think he's right. And I think you should come with me."

"What the hell do you mean you're 'leaving'?" Victor thundered as he grabbed Lottie's bag from her hand, "You aren't going to that fucking cure, Lottie! I'm not losing you over this!"

"I'm _not_ getting the cure! I need a break, I'm going out, I said I'm _leaving_ I never said I wasn't coming back!"

Vincent watched the little girls scurry away toward the stairs.

"Hey" he called up, pausing them both, "They always like this?"

Tayla shook her head wordlessly while Vicky said, "Momma and Daddy have been fighting since Magnet-ito took over the world."

There was a loud crash that sent both girls scurrying for the cover of their shared bedroom and Vincent was about to start up the stairs when Lottie started down them. She glanced at him; dressed in his leather jacket-a pass-down from Logan, with an expression of concern on his face.

"Let's go" she said. They departed, with Victor's gaze at their back.

The instant the first wave of people had gone, Vincent knew this was a bad idea. They were getting shot full of the cure; there was no 'stand' going on here-there was a genocide. He grabbed Lottie's hand and pulled her out of the fray, against the side of the bridge, "I didn't know this would be happening!"

"I know you didn't, neither did I!" he grabbed her and ran back behind a car as she shouted over the din of war. "What're we going to do?"

"Jump!" he shouted.

"What?" her eyes widened, "Jump!"

He grabbed her hand and dragged her to the edge of the bridge. He climbed up and pulled her up beside him, "Do you trust me?"

Her violet eyes filled with panic. War at their backs, humans to their side. She was torn.

"Do you trust me?"

Her violet eyes met his amber ones, and she nodded once. An echo of nearly two decades past; she clutched his hand with the intensity she clutched her sister's that day she jumped off the waterfall. They leapt together, his body supporting hers as they fell. He took the brunt of the impact, unbelievable force slamming them downward; hard, fast, intensely. The water was evaporating under them as they fell. He grasped her tightly, looking at her, and a silent movement of his clawed finger across her cheek. When his back hit the ground, she watched in shock as he shoved her with all of his strength, sending her up into the air. Water hit her face like rain as it came back down and slowly formed around her. She pushed herself to the surface and looked around. The water was churning, but she was the only one in it.

"Vincent? Vincent!" she shrieked, searching the water. She dove under, feeling through the suddenly murky water. She felt something and pulled, yanking toward the surface.

She almost cried as she yanked him to the surface in his jacket.

Jean Grey was dead...all over again.

She was wrapped in his coat, his arms tight around her. She had no idea how this little boy was so strong. She stared at him, willing herself to understand how he'd survived that. She willed herself to understand how he managed to be the right kind of strange and beautiful that made him like them.

He smiled, "You're sure you're alright?"

She smiled in reply, "I'm sure."

The jet's turbines had fired up and he smiled as he rubbed her leather-clad arms, "Good. Let's go home."

She nodded, rising with him. They reached the heated jet and the warmth of Nikki, Victor and Logan's embraces, and they glanced to each other. Her hand reached out for his and she smiled.

His smile was a slight degree more mischevious, but he took her hand in return.

**The Beginning**


End file.
